Military Officer - November 2006 - (Page 8)

fromtheeditor Operational Force The days of serving one weekend a month, two weeks a year are gone for reservists. Today their role is more demanding, and the move from a strategic to an operational force has not been easy. A ccording to Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief, Army Reserve, and commander, U.S. Army Reserve Command, “The Army Reserve is in the midst of the most profound change in its 98-year history.” That statement is not hyperbole. Chat with any citizen-soldier who’s been around for a while, and you’ll learn how his or her dual-track career has changed. Yesterday’s Army Reserve was a strategic force; reservists generally drilled one weekend a month and pulled two weeks’ active duty in the summer. The prevailing thought was that reserve forces would be called upon only in case of another world war. But the old order began to change in the mid-1990s, as reservists were deployed more frequently for operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. And then came Sept. 11, 2001. Since that date, about 160,000 Army reservists have been called to active duty to support operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Reservists also have played key roles at home, assisting in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The reality is that today’s reserves are operational forces. “The Army Reserve is a community-based, federal operational force of skill-rich warrior-citizens providing complementary capabilities for joint expeditionary and domestic operations,” says Stultz. The evolution of the reserves to this operational role has not been without pain for reserve soldiers or their civilian employers. Stultz and other military and business lead8 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2006 ers are tackling the problems, and the Army has a detailed transformation plan. One of the most important features of this plan is the Army Reserve Force Generation Model. Under this model, a soldier will be available for mobilization once every ﬁve years and will be deployed, if needed. This gives reservists the predictability needed to plan careers, education, and family lives. Stultz appreciates the challenges reservists face. A citizen-soldier himself, he has been employed with Procter & Gamble for 25 years. He’s currently on a four-year leave of absence while serving as Army Reserve chief. The role of today’s reserve forces is a far cry from that of the past. Our story “High Demand,” on page 52, introduces a vision of the future Army Reserve — a vision of an operational force of dedicated warrior-citizens serving overseas as well as defending the homeland. “The nation called us in [2001],” says Stultz, “and we answered. We continue to respond. We’re meeting all the requirements that this nation has, thanks to the young heroes that we have out there.” — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2006

From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Financial Guidebook Got (the right) Insurance? A Penny Saved, a Degree Earned The “Y” MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Information Exchange Member Books MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Member Services Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2006

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